1
as in specifying
to make reference to or speak about briefly but specifically
try not to refer to the recent death of her aunt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in going (to)
to use or seek out as a source of aid, relief, or advantage
she studied so she wouldn't have to refer to the book during the exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referring (to)
Verb
-
Apart from specifying that the number of wolves had to exceed the state’s endangerment cutoff, legislators never defined what such a sustainable level might be.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
16 Feb. 2026 -
Entire chapters specifying how nuclear material should be secured and what sorts of physical barriers should be built to protect it have been reduced to bullet points.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While many praised his remarks for uplifting of immigrant communities at a time when they are increasingly being targeted by the federal government, others felt the musician had overlooked the history and experiences of Native Americans and Black Americans by not mentioning them.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Of course, no roast of Newsom would be complete without mentioning his pandemic setbacks, including the French Laundry scandal and the recall election.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Rosarian speaks on year-round rose care, guests invited The Del Mar Rose Society will host Natalie Stout, consulting Rosarian from the American Rose Society, past president of the San Diego Rose Society, and co-chair of the 2027 San Diego Rose Symposium.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
About one-third of all waterborne crude oil exports pass through the strait, according to data from consulting firm Kpler.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Dozens of cellphone and body camera videos reviewed by CNN show that immigration agents are routinely threatening to arrest people who follow or film videos of them, sometimes specifically citing the statute.—
Isabelle Chapman,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Mayor Karen Bass joined calls for Wasserman’s resignation, citing his involvement in the Epstein-Maxwell scandal.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Upon noticing a doorbell camera, the subject calmly seeks foliage from Guthrie’s porch area to try and obscure the lens.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Video footage shows the person approaching the front door, noticing the camera and trying to cover the lens with their hand.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Many companies charge an initial investigation or discovery fee before quoting the total cost of resolution services.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Chopra Jonas sparked twice as much buzz as her titular co-stars based on volume, headlines and quoting intensity.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Private preschools forced to close Holmes disputed the study’s conclusion that transitional kindergarten was contributing to private preschool closures, noting that could have been driven by declining birth rates, too.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Moderna has disputed that reasoning, noting that FDA rules and guidance do not actually require trials to use the most advanced or highest-dose vaccine as a comparator in clinical studies.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The motion sought to dismiss the charges with prejudice, indicating they cannot be refiled.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
-
On May 14, 2025, CBP investigators received information from a law enforcement database indicating that Garcia-Vallejo was Wilkinson’s niece, the complaint states.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
12 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Referring (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referring%20%28to%29. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
